ANKARA
Here are the main stories that The Anadolu Agency's English News Desk will cover Friday, Jan. 30, 2015:
TURKEY
KIRSEHIR – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurates Polat Enerji Geycek Wind Power Plant.
ISTANBUL – Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu separately meets with TUMSIAD (Manufacturers' and Businessmen's Association) and ASKON (Anatolian Businessmen's Association) in Istanbul.
SPECIAL REPORTS
- More Turks embracing Kurdish language
By Nilay Kar Onum
ISTANBUL Anadolu Agency meets the people behind the burgeoning interest in the Kurdish language in Turkey as the country's PM expresses his desire to learn the tongue.
- Turkish minority and Greeks move left together
By Handan Kazanci
ISTANBUL With three Turkish-origin MPs from the left-wing Syriza party, the Turkish minority in Greece is 'hopeful' that the new government in Athens will improve their rights.
EUROPE
GERMANY
LEIPZIG – Right-wing populist PEGIDA’s sister movement LEGIDA plans major anti-Islam rally as fears of anti-Islamic sentiment across Europe grow. Left-wing groups plan counter-demonstration.
BERLIN – Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier holds a joint press conference with Bulgarian counterpart Daniel Mitov. Expecting remarks on recent escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine.
UNITED STATES
NEW YORK - UN Security Council to debate protection of civilians in armed conflict.
ASIA/ASIA-PACIFIC
JAPAN
TOKYO - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructs Foreign Minister "to continue to stay on guard and deal" as Japan analyzes information and seeks cooperation with Jordan after ISIL’s latest deadline expires.
BANGLADESH
DHAKA – Rescue operations continue after boat carrying undocumented migrants to Malaysia capsizes in Bay of Bengal.
INDIA
NEW DELHI – Indian government begins selling shares in state-owned Coal India, which is responsible for the majority of the country’s coal production.
PHILIPPINES
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Philippines marks day of mourning for 44 police commandos killed in battle with members of rebel groups.
CHINA
BEIJING – New rules will require residents of restive Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to register their details when buying cellphones and computers in effort to curb “illegal activities.”
CAMBODIA
PHNOM PENH – HIV outbreak claims lives of first victims, 7-month-old girl who contracted chronic bronchitis and 73-year-old woman with tuberculosis
SPECIAL REPORTS
- Afghan women turn to saffron to kick out poppy problem.
By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL – Afghan women are turning to saffron-growing as an alternative to poppy production, which feeds the illicit narco-economy and has reached an all-time high.
- Obama in India pushes Pakistan to play China card
By Aamir Latif
KARACHI Analysts believe a low-profile meeting between Pakistan’s army chief and China's leadership, while U.S. President Barack Obama visited India, could be a sign that Pakistan is looking for Beijing’s support should Pakistan lose traditional U.S. backing.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
ETHIOPIA
ADDIS ABABA – The 24th African Union summit starts. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu participates.
SPECIAL REPORTS
- Could Nigeria's high-stakes polls lead to interim gov’t?
LAGOS Powerful forces within Nigeria are planning to form an interim government in expectation that a general election in February will produce a controversial outcome that could plunge the country into crisis.
- UK to provide Kenya with 'cutting edge' security capabilities
By Magdalene Mukami
NAIROBI The United Kingdom has vowed to help Kenya enhance its defense and security capabilities to the tune of 8.6 billion Kenyan shillings (roughly $87.3 million).
"I am talking about cutting-edge capability in border security, secure communications, airport security, bomb-detection kits, conservation technologies and forensics," British High Commissioner to Kenya Christian Turner tells The Anadolu Agency.
